Getting Started

Using the Setup Checklist is the best way to get started with BudgetBadger Business. Clicking each item opens the relevant page.

Typical flow:

• Sign up for a Business trial (or subscription) so your workspace is seeded with the Business chart of accounts.
• Connect business bank and card accounts with Plaid. Business requests up to 730 days of history (about two years); actual history depends on each institution.
• Review and categorize synced transactions, then create at least one category rule (the final checklist step on Business).
• Optionally connect platform integrations (Stripe, Etsy, Shopify, Amazon) and set display currency in Settings.

Budgeting is off by default on Business and is not part of the setup checklist. Turn it on later in Settings if you want Budget nav and budget comparisons.

If you track your business in Sheets or Excel today, start by connecting your banks and cards with Plaid so ongoing activity stays current automatically. Use the seeded Business chart of accounts instead of rebuilding your spreadsheet categories from scratch.

For older history that Plaid does not cover, export a bank-register-style CSV (Date, Merchant, Outflow, Inflow) and import it onto a manual historical account — see Importing Historical Transactions From CSV. Then use category rules and bulk assign to clean up mappings.

Keep a CPA or tax preparer for filings; BudgetBadger Business replaces day-to-day books and cash P&L tracking, not tax packaging.

BudgetBadger Business is a Plaid-first cash books tool — not a live QuickBooks Online (QBO) sync. There is no QBO OAuth or general-ledger import.

Recommended path:

1. Cancel day-to-day bookkeeping in QBO/Xero when you are ready; keep a CPA for taxes, payroll, AR/AP, or invoicing tools you still need.
2. Start a Business trial, confirm the seeded chart of accounts, and connect banks and cards via Plaid (up to 730 days of history).
3. Connect commerce platforms (Stripe, Shopify, Etsy, Amazon) when relevant, link payout accounts, and set split category preferences.
4. Categorize with the Business categorizer, category rules, and bulk assign — same workflow as a greenfield user.
5. Optionally upload older register history via CSV onto a manual historical account (map Category names to your existing COA when possible). Do not re-import the same window already covered by Plaid or you will double-count P&L.

Sanity-check your Business P&L against a recently closed QBO period if you care about continuity. BudgetBadger does not promise full historical books parity.

If you have no prior accounting system, sign up for Business, walk the setup checklist, and connect the accounts where money actually moves (business checking, savings, and cards). Let Plaid pull history, then review new transactions and create a few category rules for recurring merchants.

Add platform integrations after banks are linked so payout deposits can match and split into revenue vs fees. Turn on budgeting later only if you want category targets — many businesses run fine with P&L and Balance Sheet alone.

BudgetBadger Business is a paid product line (separate from Personal Free/Premium). You can start with a 14-day Business free trial, then subscribe at $9.99/month or $69.99/year.

Business includes Plaid bank sync (extended lookback), the Business chart of accounts, Business P&L and Balance Sheet, exports, optional budgeting, Match Bank Statements, platform integrations, Ask AI, and workspace sharing. Manage trial and billing from Settings.

Connect the accounts that drive business cash flow: business checking, savings, and credit cards. Also connect PayPal or Wise via Plaid when those wallets hold business funds — they are treated as regular linked accounts (not Platform Integrations).

Investment and loan accounts can still be linked for Balance Sheet completeness. Prefer business-facing accounts; if personal activity lands in a shared register, recategorize or use Excluded from P&L categories so it does not distort operating results.

On the Accounts page, click Add Account, then Connect Account. You will complete a secure Plaid Link flow. BudgetBadger is read-only — we cannot move money or change bank settings.

Business links request up to 730 days of history at connect time. After the first sync, posted transactions refresh automatically about every six hours. You may sync up to 30 Plaid accounts and add unlimited manual accounts.

Business supports USD and CAD as display currencies. Set your preference in Settings. Amounts from foreign-currency Plaid transactions are converted for display while the original amount and currency remain on the transaction.

P&L, Balance Sheet, dashboard widgets, and exports follow the selected display currency. Match Bank Statements uses each account’s USD/CAD currency when matching statement balances.

Business uses a workspace (not a household). With active Business access, the owner can invite up to three teammates (for example a co-founder, bookkeeper, or accountant) from Settings.

Each invitee creates their own login and must also be on the Business product. Invited members can connect accounts and work in the shared workspace. If someone leaves, their accounts and transactions are removed while the owner’s data remains.

Ask AI is available from the Profile menu on desktop (and the app menu on mobile when Business mobile ships). Use it for how-to questions about BudgetBadger Business and for questions about your synced business data.

What Ask AI can help with:

• Summarize revenue, expenses, Gross Profit, Operating Income, and Net Income for a period.
• Explain features such as category rules, platform splits, Match Bank Statements, and exports.
• Point you to Knowledge Base articles for step-by-step guidance.

What Ask AI cannot do:

• Provide tax, legal, or investment advice.
• File taxes or replace your CPA.
• Predict future sales or market performance.